I'm starting up some art classes and embroidery classes locally.  Those of you living north of the border can come and learn to paint or start embroidery in Strathaven.  The classes will be held in the morning probably on a Tuesday and Wednesday (days to be confirmed) and will be £7.50 per 2 hour class.


Contact me for further details on 01355 571055 or email info@racheldrake.co.uk

I've finally got around to starting a blog after thinking about it for months but never seeming to find the time to actually write it!  I'm glad the New Year is here, after a tough 2010 (family crisis and illnesses) I'm looking forward to the year ahead and a less stressful time. (Who am I kidding!)


I ended 2010 on a high note after having two paintings accepted for exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh and better still I sold one of them.  I'm hoping to continue the trend and I am now working on a portrait for submission to the Bp Portrait Award 2011 at the National Portrait Gallery in London.  It's an oil painting of my mother and I started it today.  I'm really enjoying working in oils again and I have made a promise to myself this year to do more work in them.  I need to say a big thank you to my mum for agreeing to sit for me, she is a very brave and determined lady and she opitimises the title of the work Laughing in the Face of Adversity.

Self-promotion is the hardest part of being an artist and it's the thing I find hardest to do.  Ideally I would love to spend my time just painting and being creative but unfortunately a lot of my time is spent doing business stuff.  Hopefully submitting works to large exhibitions will help get me out there and get my name known further a field so I can make my fortune.  I sound like Del boy, 'one day Rodney, we'll be millionaires'..........